Most of the American public did not know what communism or Marxism really was as an ideology, they simply knew that it was 'bad' and it was 'un-American,' although logically it could be argued that nothing is more un-American than prosecuting a person for holding certain political beliefs. The tragedies of Miller's "The Crucible" and the McCarthy hearings are that good men and women, as well as fearful and ignorant people were silenced by the witch hunts. People who defended the accused were called witches themselves. This can be seen when Proctor and Mary Warren are both, at different times and for different reasons called witches. When they defy Abigail's desires, their nonconformity makes them vulnerable to being accused. Witchcraft and communism are shadowy forces in the public imagination because neither is fully understood.

Both witch hunts begin with dramatic events -- the 'fits' of the Salem girls; the take-over of Eastern Europe -- but the critical difference, many critics of Miller pointed out, is that unlike witchcraft, communism was a real historical force. Although McCarthyism destroyed many careers and many lives in America, communism resulted in the loss of millions of lives in Stalinist Russia and Eastern Europe. The Warsaw Pact nations suffered curtailment of their freedoms, when under the control of the U.S.S.R. The communists themselves had 'witch hunts' of people who were supposedly counterrevolutionary...

After the attacks of 9/11 many said that it was also a parallel with the fears of Islam and the prosecution and investigation of individuals who were thought to be potential terrorists, even though there was sometimes little real evidence to back up such claims. The psychology of accusation is that once there is a crime alleged for something monstrous, like terrorism or child abuse, it is difficult for the individual to regain his or her social reputation. He or she is guilty until proven innocent.
Of course, the difficult question which Miller avoids is how to behave when there are legitimate fears. How does one prosecute the guilty and protect the public while still preserving the principles of justice? To some extent, it is easy to condemn the men and women of Salem, because today we know there are no witches and devils lurking behind every corner. It is much harder when the fears are real to maintain our sense of justice and decorum. But at very least the audience can learn from Miller's play, to look at the political and personal self-interest of all accusers. Miller urges his audience to bring scrutiny to Abigail's motivations, and all people who act out of the desire to advance themselves and their careers rather than to protect the community.